land mine

Definition of land minenext
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized parents of teenagers never know when they might set off an emotional land mine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of land mine The September 1997 issue, which went to print a few weeks before Diana’s untimely death, included a photo of her alongside Elizabeth Dole at a Red Cross event for land mine survivors. Caroline Hallemann, Vanity Fair, 13 May 2026 Politics was the focus of the discussion, a topic that too often comes with land mines when two opposing views are on display. Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026 Apopo says more than six million land mines may still be buried in the soil of Cambodia. Scott Simon, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026 OpenAI’s paper conspicuously avoids specifying a corporate tax rate, a diplomatic omission that suggests the company knows where the political land mines are buried. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for land mine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for land mine
Noun
  • As Clear Lake faces mercury contamination, toxic algal blooms and predatory invasive fish, the Clear Lake hitch — known by local tribes as the chi — are in serious trouble.
    Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Swing trailer-hitch bike rack this summer and absolutely loved it.
    Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • For their part, Chinese leaders have also sounded the alarm about AI, warning of the risks posed by foreign entities with advanced capabilities.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Today, the most-valuable conversations are about what the information means, what risk is emerging and what action should be taken next.
    Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Evans explains that a dead or dying tree, typically called a snag, provides ecosystem benefits, including habitat for birds and other wildlife, food and shelter for insects, and organic matter and structure for soil health.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Gurman claims the foldable is still on track for this fall, despite chatter about manufacturing snags.
    Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In the meantime, his insatiable paranoia will be exacerbated by the missing family cat, and his decision to let the alarm company booby trap the house with fog bombs will literally blow up in his face.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Before this dilemma can play out, Hal triggers an Indiana Jones–esque booby trap inside the compound’s stronghold, summoning Macon’s men with their advanced weaponry.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Land mine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/land%20mine. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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